The Insider: Not so green off screen
- Published: 01 July 2008 18:20
- Last Updated: 01 July 2008 18:20
- Reader Responses
Our PSBs talk up the environmental issue but their own efforts are poor.
As Dick Strawbridge and any self-respecting BBC2 viewer will know, it's not easy being green. But with climate change working itself further and further up the political agenda it's something that we all have to take increasingly seriously - television production included.
There's no doubt that, as an industry, broadcasting still has a lot to do if it is to claim that it's doing its bit. The good news is that a lot of producers have taken the initiative and provide employees with bicycles rather than company cars or taxis, and take an increasingly hard look at the number of programme-makers they fly around the world. But are our broadcasters green enough? The short answer is not by a long chalk.
Take the BBC - the corporation has an environmental policy with lots of vague-sounding promises but it's action not words that count when going green. On that front at least the BBC has pledged to cut energy consumption by 3% a year and uses renewable sources where possible.
There's certainly no shortage of environmental messages pumped at viewers across BBC brands from CBeebies to Springwatch, but is the corporation taking enough concrete action to minimise its carbon emissions? And what about the UK's other PSBs such as Channel 4?
Some may be surprised to hear that it's James Murdoch and Sky which has led the way with its efforts to achieve carbon neutral status. It offers staff discounts on hybrid cars, runs lift-sharing schemes, encourages people to cycle to work, runs offices with lights that turn off when you leave the room, and is funding renewable energy projects to offset the emissions it can't avoid.
If Murdoch can make such a clear commitment, then how about our PSBs cultivating a greener profile? For starters how about an annual green audit showing how much energy was used, how many flights were taken, and how many tonnes of carbon were produced? How about banning short-haul flights to Cannes for Mipcom and MipTV? Reducing company cars and taxis would be another obvious move, as would the removal of car parking spaces. On the subject of cars, why does Mark Thompson need to be chauffeured around? Surely it's about time he got on his bike - if Jon Snow can do it, why can't all the BBC's senior executives?
Broadcasters could also make sure the producers they commission adhere to certain basic green standards, favouring commissioning the most carbon-efficient. At a time of cash crisis for the BBC and C4, one of the strongest arguments for greener production is the consumption of fewer resources which means - duh - it's cheaper. Isn't it time that the BBC, C4 and the rest of our terrestrial broadcasters showed a bit more leadership? It might not be easy being green but it's not that difficult either.
The Insider is an environmental activist
